This application relates generally to communication in mobile networks. More specifically, this application relates to methods and apparatuses for supporting mobility without having a mobile node to participate in certain mobility related signaling.
The ability to provide network access as a mobile device moves across networks or segments of a network is becoming more and more important. Emerging technologies including WiMAX promise to bring forth even greater needs in providing users with transparent and seamless access to Internet Protocol (“IP”) networks including the Internet. The Mobile IP protocol is designed to meet some of these needs, and Mobile IPv6 is a version of Mobile IP.
The Mobile IPv6 protocol has been extended to support IP mobility without having a mobile device to participate in certain mobility related signaling. More specifically, the Proxy Mobile IPv6 protocol has been proposed for providing NETwork based, Localized Mobility Management (“NETLMM”). In a Proxy Mobile IPv6 network, proxy agents based in the network are responsible for managing IP mobility on behalf of the mobile device.
To support IP mobility more fully without having a mobile device to participate in certain mobility related signaling, there is a general need to improve the proxy agents and their capabilities.